AL Tout Wars Draft Results

Hey all so after a ridiculously wild but fun past few days I am all rested and ready to write. From 8pm ET Thursday night until 2pm ET Saturday it was as condensed fantasy madness as you can get. Here is a quick rundown.

So as I anxiously wait for the show to air tonight at 8:30pm ET on the MLB Network I will share my highs and lows from yesterday’s draft.

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As usual I will give you my targeted player, who I actually got and what I think about it. A few things to know, I used the dollar values from MLB.com’s preview and I say without hesitation use them!!!! It was a little creepy how dead they were on for most players or within a few bucks. Of course some guys go for more or less but that’s the human element of 12 people in a room. I commend Gregg, Dean, Alex and Corey for a job extremely well done. I used Cory’s blended projections to get myself to third place in every cat from the 08′ standings. A good tool but not law, you need to accept that some will be low and some high and use your gut to decide which is which. Lastly some rule changes to know in Tout this year. The reserve has been cut from 6 to 4 so more players to bid on and to encourage trading from all teams all year long Tout LLC. announced that you will be judged on points scored for two seasons. If you fail to total 100 points in the next two years combined you can be moved to mixed (now 17 teams) or not be invited back. I really like these two new changes and think it helps make easier to correct some draft mistakes.

Here we go

C:

Targeted: Suzuki, Laird or Olivo for $5. They went for 11, 6, 9.

I got: Max Ramirez for $1 as my 21st player in the draft.

Thoughts: I bailed on Suzuki and Olivo without much regret but should have gone to 7 on Laird. I got him to 5 and wimped out. Ramirez can hit and has sleeper value but is behind Salty and Teagarden so this qualifies as a disaster right now.

C:

Targeted Jeff Mathis

I got: Jeff Mathis for $1 as my 14th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Was getting a catcher for a buck no matter what and figured if Napoli can’t stay healthy and Mathis can reach potential this can be a steal.

1B:

Targeted: Chris Davis or Youk for $25. They went for 27 and 29.

I got: Carlos Guillen for $20 as my 6th player in the draft.

Thoughts: This angered me and it has nothing to do with Guillen. Bailed on Davis at I think $26 so maybe I get him at $28 but Youk was still out there and I didn’t panic. Like Guillen but I need more now or do I? Wait until you see whole team.

2B:

Targeted: Kinsler for $35.

I got: Kinsler for $30 as my 2nd player in the draft.

Thoughts: Obviously ecstatic. Now stay healthy!!!

SS:

Targeted: Asdrubal Cabrera for $6.

I got: Yuni Betancourt for $8 as my 10th player in the draft.

Thoughts: I’m fine with this. MI who sniffs any steals are a little inflated. Best example is that Asdrubal went for $13 so for 5 bucks less and only two over my budget I got a similar player.

3B:

Targeted: Adrain Beltre for $18. He went for $20

I got: Jed Lowrie for $8 as my 15th player in the draft.

Thoughts: I had to cut my budget a little since I went over on a few OFs and a starter so I decided to cut back on closer and 3B. I wanted Beltre pretty bad but most projections for Lowrie were pre Lugo injury and he qualifies at multiple positions so we’ll see.

CO:

Targeted: Josh Fields for $4. He went for $9.

I got: Wilson Betemit for $6 as my 11th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Everyone knows I love Fields but I wasn’t going double digits in $$$. Betemit to me is a hedge against injuries across the diamond in Chicago so he is a great AL only guy this year even though I would have preferred him cheaper.

MI:

Targeted: Chris Getz for $2. He went for $6.

I got: Ramon Santiago for $1 as my 19th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Not many on this one. Getz was probably valued at $2 before he won the job and people were willing to roll dice on him. I wasn’t. Anything happens to Everett or Polanco he’ll play everyday.

OF:

Targeted: Nick Markakis for $30.

I got: Markakis for $34 as my 3rd player in the draft.

Thoughts: Quite the bidding war early on and I went for it. Could have a monster year and at the time I had “saved” $5 on Kinsler so didn’t care about going $4 over for Nick.

OF:

Targeted: Coco Crisp for $15. He went for $17

I got: Carlos Quentin for $25 as my 4th player in the draft.

Thoughts: This is where the draft turned for me and at the time it was a blessing but it had it’s pitfalls. First off yes I went $10 over for my #2 OF but Quentin at $25 was too good to pass up. When he was at $24 I waited and said $25 and then crickets. I was shocked and elated but it definitely made me scramble to rearrange my budget since I had to make up for those $10 which I did and didn’t. The immediate fix was at closer which you’ll see below but this also led to a domino effect for my 3rd OF a few hours later. This could definitely help me win but throwing yourself for a loop is quite the experience. Rios went for $39, Vlad $27, Damon and Hunter $24 so Q at $25 was just too good a buy.

OF:

Targeted: Adam Jones for $11. He went for $22.

I got Hideki Matsui for $13 as my 12th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Jones went for way to much. Can he live up to it? Sure but I already killed my budget for my #2 OF so I couldn’t do it again. Happy with Matsui, very dependent on health but for $13 he if can thrive at DH this could be huge.

OF:

Targeted: Shin Soo Choo for $9. He went for $18.

I got Ryan Freel for $5 as my 17th player in the draft.

Thoughts: No matter how many times I see it and this is my 4th year in Tout it still amazes me the inflation for young OFs. Jones, Choo, Kubel and Cruz all went for more then double what most people had them valued at it’s crazy but it’s just the way it is. I also whiffed on David Murphy, DeJesus and Lind here so Freel was a flyer. Wanted Choo badly but so did everyone else.

OF:

Targeted: A dollar player like Gabe Gross or Gary Matthews Jr.

I got Marlon Byrd at $4 as my 18th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Was filling in slots at this point much like Freel and Byrd was the highest OF left on the board. I like this pickup has some sleeper value. Would love to be right about how bad Nelson Cruz is going to be and then Byrd takes over and produces.

UT:

Targeted: Kendry Morales at $9.

I got Morales for $10 as my 16th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Very happy, I think his projections are low but there isn’t much to go on. Has all the opportunity in the world and can definitely hit.

P:

Targeted: Roy Halladay for $27.

I got Doc for $30 as my 1st player in the draft.

Thoughts: I think Erv and Lackey being hurt raised Doc’s value so I’m cool with the $30. Only other pitcher to make it to $30 was Sabathia. I like having a stud ace in a non mixed.

P:

Targeted: Justin Verlander for $18.

I got Verlander for $15 as my 7th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Well there’s the $3 bucks back I went over with on Halladay. Love the price but need this one to work out to make the killing. Little nervous but am practicing what I preach at least.

P:

Targeted: Gavin Floyd for $8. He went for $8.

I got Ervin Santana for $11 as my 8th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Classic bravado man crush union. It was one of those there is no way I can let him for this cheap. The good news is if he can’t play this year I will get the money back for FAAB if he goes on 60 day DL. Bad news is I went with my heart on this one and if he doesn’t come back in late May and pitch great this could be the straw that broke the camels back. Getting Erv cost me a bat somewhere. He comes back I’ll be able to make a trade without a problem for that bat.

P:

Targeted: Edwin Jackson for $4.

I got Edwin for $4 as my 9th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Very happy with this low risk and high reward. This could be my Cliff Lee for $4 last year even if he doesn’t sniff a CY.

P:

Targeted: Anthony Reyes for $1 or some other $1 pitchers like Niemann or Adenhart. Reyes went for $6 and Adenhart went in reserve draft.

I got John Smoltz for $6 as my 23rd player in the draft.

Thoughts: I had one spot and $6 bucks left and anyone else with a pitching slot left had a max bid of $6 so this worked out great. Didn’t expect this to happen but not upset it did. Will have Smoltz and Erv on DL to start season with McGowan who I got in reserve. Stocked up if things work right to make some deals.

P:

Targeted: Another dollar pitcher.

I got Jose Contreras for $2 as my 22nd player in the draft.

Thoughts: Love this one too low risk high reward.

P:

Targeted: Scot Shields for $2.

I got Shields for $2 as my 20th player in the draft.

Thoughts: I wouldn’t have went to 4 so all good. Angels will be in a bunch of tight games. Maybe he gives me 7 wins and 4 saves.

P:

Targeted: Zumaya or Aardsma for a $1.

I got Aardsma for $4 as my 13th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Paid a little premium since I under spent on closer and think Aardsma has a good shot to close in Seattle. I got Zumaya in the reserve draft.

P:

Targeted: One of the big 4 at closer for $27. Papelbon and Soria went for $28. Rivera $25 and Nathan $26.

I got Bobby Jenks for $20 as my 5th player in the draft.

Thoughts: Aggravation! I was in on all of the top four and bailed at $24 on Rivera which pissed me off. You’ll see Jenks went to me after Quentin so I tried to manage my budget here and this could be a hassle or Jenks can figure out how to strike people out agaiun, that would be fantastic Bobby!

Reserve Draft:

Had the 11th pick, Sheehan hurt me by taking LaPorta at 10 I thought I had him. I went

Zumaya (Could be a bonanza)

McGowan (no risk high reward)

Joaquin Arias (hope he goes super utility in Texas and would play 2B if Kinsler got hurt)

JP Arencibia (hope he hits his way back north)

I inserted the new projections and see that on offense I am literally a 20-20 player who can drive in and score about 80 short of being right where I need to if of course my guys don’t go higher then their projections. They don’t grow on tress but I think I can find one even by mid April via trade so I am going to try and deal from pitching just to be safe. Stay tuned…………………..Siano (no idea why it’s this script but I feel classy so not going to worry about it)

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9 Comments

Hey guys,
Would you pick up Kevin Gregg for Wandy Rodriguez? I have Marmol, Devine, and Francisco while I also have Liriano, Oswalt, Lester, Nolasco, Garza, and Kevin Slowey. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
The Manomanhttp://manoman.mlblogs.com

Siano busted out the YPNM on AJ Burnett and I LOVED it. Reynolds, although somewhat of a fantasy newbie (like me), was the man, I agree with his A-rod rant. This is what I think: weekly show on MLB network to compliment the podcasts, make it an hour or even a half hour long to just go over the biggest fantasy news, bring on some special guests, and answer some emails; and it doesn’t even need to be in a primetime slot or have the same production value as the preview show we watched tonight. Oh also at the end of the season, I don’t care who it is, someone gets a Yoo-hoo shower. Ok guys let’s get it done.
-Another Mike

Great Fantasy Show for MLB Channel. Siano’s “if Reyes is Jackin’ then he will be slackin'” was a solid line, and of course “falling somewhere between Piazza and Zeus” is a slamdunk winner of a line as well by Cory.

So loved the show, and now prepping for my own 12 team mixed 30 round non-keeper draft on Tuesday night. Cant wait.

tough call, Even though I love that Cory drafted Marmol and I got Gregg this battle is by no means over in my opinion. Wandy can have a big year. Are there other options at say 5th or 6th OF you can cut?

I see we like a lot of the same catchers. I went a little crazy on catchers and need to cut one and open a spot in my reserves. Who is least likely to come up this year:
Max Ramirez
JP Arencibia
Carlos Santana

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